Welcome to New York
by Sajapple
Summary: Jinx, a girl trying to find work in Manhattan decided to become a Newsie. And who should she meet? Jack Kelly, the strike leader. She falls for him, but another girl is already in Jack's life.
1. The first Chapter

I walked into the city of Manhattan and saw a bunch of kids no older than 5 or 8 sleeping on the streets.

"Move it!"

"Watch where you're going!" everyone shouted at me.

"You watch it!" I shouted back. I started to walk around, looking for work. It wasn't easy when you are a 16-year-old girl with short-ish brown hair and brown eyes. Still, I was strong and came from a healthy background. 'Which is why I had to get away,' I thought.

Suddenly, the streets were filled with sounds of boys shouting.

"Coispe found in alleyway!"

"Fire erupts in Bronx!"

"Escaped prisoner on a riot!"

I turned and saw a whole bunch of boys waving newspapers around. They went up to random people on the streets and started selling their papers.

"Miss, care to buy a pape?" a little boy with brown hair asked me. He couldn't be more then 10.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"I'se… um... seven," he said, looking at me with huge brown eyes.

"Les!" an older boy caught up with us. He had curly brown hair and blue eyes. "Don't run away like that!" he scolded the little boy.

"Sorry, David…" the boy, Les, said. "But this girl looked like she needed she needed a pape, uh.. maybe two." I laughed.

"So, Les, that's your name?" Les nodded. "I'll take one." I handed over a penny and read the headline.

'Child Crusade: Newsies won the strike!'

" You won a strike?" I asked David.

"Oh, um yeah. Well, we did." He said and gestured to the other Newsies. I thought about that for a minute.

"Any chance a girl could get a job?" I asked.

"As a newsie?" David looked doubtful. And about ready to laugh.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked, getting defensive.

"Well, nothing, but-" David got cut off.

"You'se gotta ask Jack!" Les finished. David pointed to a boy, about 17, with dark blonde hair surrounded by a bunch of girls.

'Oh, great,' I thought. "Okay," I told David. We walked up to Jack and his girl crowd while Les went to go sword fight with other Newsies and sell the rest of his papers. David shook his head as Les ran off.

"Excuse meh, goils," Jack said, after David whispered something in his ear. The girls went away, giggling. I rolled my eyes. "What?" he asked David.

"She wants a job." He said bluntly and gestured to me. Jack's eyes lit up when he saw my "Woman Figure" as my mother used to say.

"Well what's her name?'" he winked at me. I rolled my eyes and answered.

"Sarah,"

They looked uncomfortable for a minute, but Jack said, "Well, Sarah, welcome to New York!" he smiled and his teeth were straight. "Do you think you have what it takes to be a Newsie?" he struck a pose. "Danga' at every conrna'! Fights where every you'se goes!"

I couldn't hold back a laugh because he looked so ridiculous.

He smiled again. "OK, then, Sarah! Welcome to the Newsies!"


	2. Becoming a Newsie

_**Authors Note/Disclaimer: Sorry! Forgot this on my first chapter so putting it on now! I own nothing from Newsies! Please review and no mean comments! But I'm open to constructive criticism. **_

Jack put his arm around my shoulders and started to walk around.

"So, Sarah, foist thing, you'se gotta have a name." Jack said as David went to go find Les.

"I have a name," I said, confused.

"No a Newsie name!" he said. "Like ova there," he pointed to a blonde boy with an eye patch. "That's Kid Blink, but we'se call him Blink." He pointed to a boy with brown curly hair. "And that's Mush."

"Heya Cowboy!" a tall boy with a crutch walked past us.

"Hey Crutchy." Jack looked down at me. My head came up to about his chin, which really annoyed me. "And that's me!" he thumped his chest proudly. "Cowboy,"

I laughed. "Really?"

"Yup, but no worries, you'se can decide later when we get back to the lodging house with da boys."

"_What?"_ I asked, but he didn't seem to hear me.

"So you'se can take some of my papes, but soon you'll be buying your own!" Jack said. I guess he took it upon himself to teach me how to sell papers.

"Ok, so we'se need to find your main sellin' point." He told me after he gave me about 50 papers.

"My what?" I asked.

"Your sellin' point. How you'se gonna sell papes."

"Oh," I said, feeling dumb.

"Yeah, so what're you good at?" he asked me.

"Umm.." My horse flashed across my mind, along with all my old trophies. But I didn't want to think about my past. That's why I came to New York. "Nothin' I guess."

Jack laughed. "Well, you'se gotta be good at something! Other than looks." He smiled, flashing off his pretty teeth. He thought for a while. "Got it!"

"What is my _amazing_ skill to sell papers?" I asked, making him laugh again.

"Sympathy!" he said. Jack seemed pretty pleased with his skills. I was not so pleased.

"What? Just cuz I'm a goil-" I stopped. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm weak! Or some sob story that needs help!" I shouted. He kept smiling, which got me more annoyed.

"You'se see, Sarah," again emotion crossed his face when he used my name. "You'se a ok goil, strong and stubborn, by da looks of it." I calmed down a little bit. "So, you'll be a good acta'!" Then he leaned in, serious for a minute. "But make sure you'se keep you hair in you'se cap." He fingered my brown hair. "See, nobody's used to having a goil around. Around da Lodge, it's ok, but keep your gender to you'se self out sellin' papes." He leaned back. "Got it?"

"Sympathy. Pretend-to-be-boy-to-protect-myself." I rolled my eyes but smiled. "Got it."

"Good," Jack looked at me. "So let's see how good you'se are at sellin' papes." He looked around. "Ok, see dat ol' lady?" He pointed to a white haired woman sitting on a bench. "Tell her ya have no money. You'se ran away from a dad who beat 'ja. Ask he if she could only but a pape to save your life!" he pretended to faint and I laughed.

"Got it." I went up to the woman and tried to look as desperate as possible. Which really wasn't hard since I was wearing the same clothes for a week. I remembered to tuck my hair in my cap. "H-hello, ma'am" I started out.

"Hello, darling," she drawled.

"Could you'se but a pape?" I asked, subjecting to the Newsie's language. "I-I needs money! I'se ran away and I'se gotta eat!" I played it for all it was worth and made my lower lip wobble.

"Oh poor dear!" the woman exclaimed.

"Please buy a pape, ma'am!" I fake-pleaded.

"Yes, dear, of course!" she obliged and gave me a quarter. I smiled as she walked away.

Then I saw a man watching me. He was dressed up, a suit and a hat and everything. I caught his eye and he winked at me. I didn't scare easily but this guy gave me the chills. I almost ran back to Jack.

_**How did you like it? Review please!**_


	3. The Lodging house

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies… **_

Jack's POV

'She's beautiful,' I thought as she walked away. 'Those eyes, her hair.'

'But what about Sarah! Sarah Jacobs!' I argued with myself. 'I can't just dump her for some now goil!'

'But she's amazing. No one can make me laugh like that.'

'Think Sarah, Jack! Sarah Jacobs makes ya feel special too!'

'I couldn't even afford a goilfriend.'

'Shut up!' Sarah was walking towards me and she looked scared as heck.

Sarah's POV

"What happened?" Jack asked me when I walked back to him.

"How did your amazing skill work for ya?" He smiled, but it didn't seem real.

"Jack, there's a guy." I said urgently. "He was starring at me. I think he knows I'm a girl." I moved my head to indicate Mr. Creepy.

"D#$ it!" Jack swore. He took my arm and whispered, "RUN!" We ran back to what I guessed was the Lodging House.

"Who was that?" I asked as we ran.

"

That was Oscar Delancey, he's a scab, see," Jack said. "He's not a what you'd call a good guy and I don't want 'tcha gettin' hoit." I nodded.

"It's way too early for da guys to be back." Jack explained when we walked into the empty lodge. It was on the corner of the street and had a sing that read 'News Boys Lodging House.' Newspapers were piled at the front of the house. The inside was small, but cozy and had stairs leading up to the boy's room.

Jack walked up to a desk with an old man behind it. "Kloppman," he said. The man looked up. "Could Sarah stay here?" he pointed at me. "She's a newsie now."

Kloppman regarded me. He had dark green eyes that seemed to stare into my soul. He creeped me out, but seemed ok. "Hmm.. Jack, if it's ok with you, it's ok with me. I trust you." He added. "But no funny business!" he wagged his finger at us.

Jack laughed. "No problem, Kloppman. She's smart enough." I rolled my eyes. "Hey! I know what to call you!" Jack said.

"What?" I asked.

"Eye-Rolla'!" he bursted out laughing and I did too, but pushed him playfully. "Hey! It was a good idea!"

After we stayed there for the rest of the day, (Jack taught me how to play poker) and voice called out, "'Ey! Look! Jacky-Boy's got a goil!" a short Italian came in with a plaid vest and a newsie cap. Blink and Mush followed him in.

"Sarah, dis is my buddy, Racetrack Higgins." Jack introduced us.

"Much obliged to ya," he said and they all started laughing.

"Hey, hey everyone!" Jack said when all the Newsies came in. "Sarah here's gonna be livin' here, so's you'se gotta treat her nice and no trying nothin'!"

"No problem, Jacky-Boy!"

"Don't know Jack! It's pretty temptin'!" I glared at the one who said that, Race rack. "Kiddin'!" he told me.

"Ok, now go back to ya's party." Jack laughed and went off with some of his buddies. I just stood off to the corner, watching the Newsies and trying to remember what everyone called them. There was a Boots, Specs, Bumlets, Pie-eater. Who came up with these names, anyway?

Then the blonde kid, Blink, and the brown curly-haired one, Mush, came up to me. "So Sarah is it?" Blink asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"If ya's don't have anywhere to sleep, you'se could bunk with me!" He joked.

"Yeah, when pigs fly," I said sarcastically and we all laughed. 'Maybe I could live here,' I thought.


	4. Abducted

_**Disclaimer: yeah… still don't own Newsies haha **_

Soon I got into the routine of being a Newsie. I had a separate room, more of a walk-in closet with a bed and dresser, but better than sharing one big room with a bunch of love-struck boys. I still sold with Jack and grew closer to him and all of the Newsies. I was something of a mother to the younger one's, but I soaked everyone for saying I should start a real family with one of them.

The boys started calling me Jinx, because for a while, all I did was soak people when I got mad, and they believed I was bad luck for a little while.

So Jack and I became really good friends, but we didn't kiss or anything but part of me wished dearly for it to happen and the other part didn't know what the heck it wanted to do.

I was doing pretty well as a Newsie, still playing the sympathy card and the customers were still soaking it up. One day, Jack said he had to go home early and I didn't really question him because I still had a lot of papes left, and I needed to sell all of them. So I was out pretty late getting rid of them all.

I was coming into the Lodge when I heard too voices- One I knew was Jack's and another one that was absolutely a girl's. I really didn't want to eavesdrop, but I wanted to know why Jack was with another girl.

"Sarah, I've missed you." I heard Jack say. It clicked why Jack and the others had trouble calling me my real name.

"I know Jack," she said. "I'm sorry I've been in Boston."

"Well, now we're together." It hurt me to hear the love in his voice. It was silent and I was pretty sure I knew what was going on in there. I couldn't help it, my face started to get hot and tears pooled in my eyes. I couldn't walk in there now, so I turned around and ran straight into Race. When he saw my face, he kind of got the whole story. By now, I'm pretty sure all the Newsies knew about Jack and the other Sarah but they didn't tell me.

"You figured it out?" he asked and I nodded, still crying. 'How could Jack do this to me?' I screamed inwardly. He always acted like he had no secrets, and he acted like he really liked me. I can't believe he led me on.

Race held out his arms and gave me a hug. He led me to Tibby's. "I'm real sorry, Jinx." He told me as my tears dried up. "See, Sarah… er… Jacobs, that is-" it doesn't matter, because nobody called me Sarah anymore. "Well, she an' Jack got together 'fore the strike. They were really hittin' it up," He looked at me apologetically. "Then Sarah had to go down with her folks to Boston, looking for work for her dad. But Dave and Les had to stay here and sell papes."

When I was all cried out we sat down at a table. I looked at Race. He had a cute face, but I never liked him that way. He was always a good friend to me. "Thanks, Race." I said.

"For what?" he said sarcastically, and I laughed off the tears.

"For not makin' fun of me for cryin'" I said and smiled.

"Are ya ready to go home yet?" he asked and I thought about it. No, I wasn't and I had some extra money I made today.

"Not yet." I told him with a smile and ordered us some drinks. We played cards with the pack Race always keeps with him. I was having so much fun, I didn't notice when he came in and sat down right across from me. Until he looked straight at me and I recognized his face.

"Race!" I said, shaking him. He kept laughing. "Race!" this time he looked at me. "There's a guy over there. He knows I'ma girl." I pointed to the Creep himself. He had suit and hat like last time. But now he was close enough I could see his nasty brown eyes and the sneer that always occupies his face. His eyes never leave my body.

"D#$ it!" Race swore. "Dat's Oscar Delancey! He's a scab!" He looked from Oscar to me. "And he's got his eye on you'se. Aw, no! Dis ain't good, we'se gotta get you outta here!"

"I'm not going back to the Lodge when Jack and Sarah are smooching it up in there!" Maybe the smoke and drinks were clouding my judgment, but at the moment, I didn't want to go back to the Lodge and I wasn't about to.

"C'mon, Jinx!" Race said pulling me to my feet. I tried to fight him, but I just ended up causing a big scene. "C'mon!" Race shouted. Then Oscar got up and punched Race right in the nose. Race stumbled back.

"What if she don't wanna go with you?" he asked the dazed newsie. He turned to me and smiled a smile that made me sick. "Heya, dollface."


	5. The Plan

_**Disclaimer: Newsies is all Disney's**_

I just stood there as Oscar grabbed me and walked me towards the door. When the fresh air hit me, I woke up.

"Get off me!" I shouted. I elbowed him in the gut and tried to get away, but his grip was like iron. I tried to hit him again and swung my fist back, but he caught it and hit me in the face. I could feel blood flowing from my nose and I punched him in the gut again. He grabbed left my arm and twisted it around, I groaned. I tried to kick him in the groin but I saw a flash of metal and hot pain erupted in my right shoulder. I turned to see how bad the cut was and I pulled my other arm out of Oscar's reach and went to stop the bleeding. That effectively stopped my attacking and punching.

"Let's go, doll," Oscar said and grabbed my wounded arm. I cried out in pain but couldn't fight him. We were walking away from the Lodge, and away from the distribution center. 'We're going to his house,' I groaned. I didn't want to think what would happen when we got there.

Newsies' POV

Racetrack burst into the Lodge, but found the lobby deserted; everyone was already asleep. After Oscar pulled Jinx out the door, he saw their fight. He was still on the ground and only realized that when Oscar was pulling Jinx away. He got up and ran all the way to the Lodge House. He paced around the room in little circles, and didn't know what to do. He decided on the rational thing. "Jack!" he shouted, loud enough to wake the whole house and the cemetery down the street. "Mush! Blink! Skittery! Boots! Specs! Oh, God! JACK!"

"D#$% it, Race!" Jack shouted as he and the other boys raced down the wooden steps. "Shut the hell up!" Soon all the Newsies were awake and in the lobby, wondering why the heck would somebody get up at this unholy hour.

"What'd you wake us up for?" Mush asked, mirroring everyone's thoughts. "I was havin' this dream 'bout dis goil-"

"Shut it!" Blink said to Mush, who was not a morning- er, middle of the night person. "Just tell us why you f-ing woke us up!" he told Race.

"Fella's listen!" Race said. "Oscar, the scabs! They's got Jinx!" Race explained what happened at the restaurant, but left out the part why they were there and tried not to look at Cowboy. Everyone sat in shocked silence. They were so upset, no one bothered to tease Race about the welt growing bigger on his nose.

Jack sat down with his head in his hands. "It's all me fault." He mumbled.

"No, it's my fault." Specs said, leaning against a wall.

"No, it's my fault." Blink said, dejectedly. Soon all the Newsies were trying to take the blame. It was going to turn into an all out brawl against each other if somebody didn't tell get it under control.

"Just shut up!" Race said. "It's all you'se faults!" everyone nodded. "We just gotta get 'er back!" they nodded again. "Any ideas?" Blink raised his hand.

"What is we just charge in there and get 'er?" he suggested. "Yeah, then we could soak 'em and grab Jinx!" he said, warming up to the idea. The Newsies mostly agreed, because this plan involved soaking scabs.

"What if they recognize you'se?" Boots asked. "They could be on ta you'se and soak _us_ instead!" he sounded worried.

"Noivous, Boots?" Blink asked, and they all laughed. Jack stood up and had this glint in his eyes that would make any scab (or person) think twice about crossing him.

"Now, hold on. Boot's is right." he said.

Boots shoulder bumped Bumlets while he muttered, "Told ya so,"

"The Delancey's got a poker game tonight, and dey probably gots all kinds o' weapons. But if we got… a few friends to take care of da matter, we could storm in and take Jinx back." Everyone looked at Jack doubtfully. "_And then _soak the scabs." he added. They smiled and agreed. "Now c'here," he motioned to get them to get closer. "'Bout da friends we'se need," he said and smiled. "I got's poifect one's in mind."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: do I really have to keep doing this? (;**_

Jinx's POV

Tonight was the worst night of my life. Oscar didn't do anything too serious- nothing where I would want to shower for 3 days straight, But it was definitely no night at Medda's.

When we got into the house, it was squat and plain. Actually, it smelled like decaying animals, and the paint was yellowed and cracking. The front room smelled like cigars and there were at least three ashtrays around the room. The couch I was sitting on was hard and lumpy-and had some questionable stains. So anyway, he threw me on the couch and went into the kitchen. I heard a lot of other men and got a little scared. But then I told myself to be strong.

Oscar came back and told me I had to make him and his poker buddies dinner. I said no, partly because I can't cook for the life of me and partly because I am dead set against being a housemaid. Oscar didn't like that answer and got a wooden stick and left a bunch of black and blue bruises all over my body.

After he stalked back into the kitchen, I was left to myself. I tried to clean my bloody nose and would worry about my throbbing shoulder later. Then he came back in, having an overwhelming smell of alcohol. I refused to sleep with him and he got really angry. He took me and threw me into a small room. It had a stained celling and yellow-pinkish wallpaper that was peeling from the walls. There was a bed in the corner but there was no way I was going near that.

He left me there for two hours and by that time I was starving. All I had at the restaurant was some bread and wine. My whole body was sore and hard to move. My right shoulder was throbbing really badly from where Oscar cut me and I was scared to look at it. I realized my trousers and shirt were torn and soaked in blood.

'I have to get out of here!' I thought.

'Duh!' I said to myself. Sometime I could be so stupid.

Then the door flew open and Oscar staggered in. He creepy smile and scent of alcohol made me want to throw up. I could still hear laughing and glasses clinking in the kitchen. He walk up to me.

"What?" I spit.

"Now, is that anyway to treat your host?" he asked, grinning wickedly. "I just came to see if you changed your mind about the sleepin' arrangements." He smiled knowingly, looking at my clothes and state I was in.

"I'm fine where I am, and I'm going to stay where I am!" I snarled. He frowned.

"Well, I suppose you'll change your mind in a couple of days!" he spit back, and slammed the door shut. I heard the lock click in place. "Try not to ruin anything while you're in there!" he called to me, chuckling evilly.

I knew it was no use a couple minutes after he left. My head was starting to throb and my stomach was growling so much it hurt. I was dizzy from blood loss and I was really thirsty. I kept daydreaming about the food I had one night at Tibby's. It was my first day being a Newies and we had a whole ham and potatoes and olives. (Denton paid for it all) I knew I had to get some food, but there was no way I was sleeping with the creep!

I leaned against the wall, thinking. I could wait for the Newsies, but I wasn't even sure if they were coming to get me. There weren't any windows in the room, and the door was huge and locked. I busied my self by looking around the room. There was a small dresser in the corner and I opened it. There were a bunch of women's clothes. 'This must be where Oscar keeps his victims.' I was disgusted, but I wouldn't let clean clothes go to waste.

I pulled off my blood soaked trousers and torn shirt. They have definitely seen better days then today. I found a small pink dress that felt like silk, and the neckline was tremendously low. It reminded me of what I used to wear. I put it back.

Finally, I found a worn yellow dress that fell to my knees. I liked the color, and it was much less revealing then most of the stuff in the drawers. It wasn't what I like to wear, but it'll do.

I steeled myself and looked at my shoulder. I was disgusted and worried. The cut was deep and the skin around the wound was tight and swelled. It was still oozing blood, so I tore a length of fabric from my shirt and bound the shoulder to stop anymore bleeding. 'It's the best I can do now.' I decided.

I went over to the bed, even though it looked disgusting. I was so tired that I lay down and dreamt of home.

Jinx's Dream.

Sarah Conway was riding her prize horse. His black coat gleamed in the hot sun. She was laughing as she raced her father, who was riding a white horse."Go! Go!" she was shouting. The sun warmed their necks and backs while the summer breeze played with their hair.

Sarah beat her dad by a hair then fell off her horse laughing about it. Her father couldn't help by laugh too, and help Sarah up. She watched her two brothers, Mikey, the youngest one who had blonde hair and freckles. And Rob, the brown haired, brown-eyed boy. Her sister, Anna, was helping her Ma bake the apple pie they were going to have that night.

Suddenly she heard her mother screaming. "Ma!" Sarah shouted. She tried to run to the house, but her father grabbed her saying, "Watch the boys!"

Her father stormed up to the house. As he passed through the wooden door, shouting, "Darlene!" the kitchen caught fire.

The warm sun turned into an immense heat. The fire was growing, feeding off the air. "Ma! Anna!" Sarah sobbed. The boys started crying and Sarah turned to console them. But then she saw Mikey running toward the house. "Mikey!" Sarah shouted, trying to be heard above the blazing fire.

She tried to catch him, but he was too fast. She turned around, and couldn't fin Rob, either. "Rob!" the last she saw of him was his brown head of hair following his twin to the disaster inside. Sarah sobbed as the only home she ever knew burned.

"Sarah!" they called

"Sarah!"

"Sarah!"

"Sarah!" I bolted awake. My face was wet with unseen tears. "Sarah!" I heard my name again, and it wasn't my family calling.

It was Jack.


	7. The Execution of the Plan

_**Disclaimer: Newsies still isn't mine**_

Newsie's POV

It was midnight by the time Jack and the Manhattan Newsies got back from Brooklyn. Jack's friend in mind was indeed Spot Conlon and he went over there to ask for help. But first he had to get David.

"What the heck?" David had said when Jack, Blink and Race showed up at his door.

"We'se need you'se to talk to Spot for us." Jack told him. "You are da Walkin' Mouth, afta' all." He said with a smile. So David agreed, leaving a note for his family.

When they got to Brooklyn, they found Spot on a ton of crates looking at the stars. "Hey, Spot!" Jack called. Spot jumped down. He had his cane in his hand and a slingshot sticking out of his pocket.

"What are you doin' here at this unholy hour?" Spot asked.

"Just what I'd like to know," Blink said. He was still tired and didn't know why he was dragged all the way out to Brooklyn when he could be sleeping.

"Well, Spot, we'se need a favor," Jack said, ignoring Blink.

"I see, Jacky-boy. But why should I do anything for you'se?" Spot asked.

"Just listen to the Walkin' Mouth, Spot." Jack said and pushed David closer.

"Uh, Spot, it's Oscar Delancey," David started out. He had been filled in by Jack and Race, and was just as fond of Jinx as any other Newsie. After all, he met her first. "See, he's got our pal Jinx."

Spot laughed. "Don't ya think your pal Jinx can get himself outta trouble?"

They Manhattan boys glanced at each other, not sure if they should tell Spot that Jinx was a girl. Finally, Jack nodded. "She's a girl, Spot." David said. Spot looked surprised, but only a little bit. He thought it over.

"Ok, I'll help ya, but on me own time." He decided.

"Alright, Spot. But be there by dawn." Jack warned and he filled Spot in on the plan.

"What now, Jack?" Race asked when they were on their side of the bridge.

"We'se already got us a distraction- If Spot comes through. So's we'se gotta position ourselves to break in." Jack said. They walked all the way to the Delancey's house, picking up the other tired Newsies on the way. "Ok," Jack said when they arrived and were hidden by a huge dumpster. "Bumlets, Specs, Skittery, you'se go to the right. See da windows? At the signal, break 'em and get in." The three nodded.

"Blink, Mush, Boots, you'se go up on da roof. Be ready to jump 'em."

He looked at Racetrack and David. "Davey, Race, you're with me. We're gonna storm in through the door and try to find Jinx once Spot's done with his surprise." He looked at the rest of the Newsies. "Da rests of ya, take care of the scabs. We're gonna soak Oscar and Morris so bad, dey won't 'member how to sell papes!" Everyone laughed. Then they all smiled, pleased with their brilliant plan.

"Ok, go!" Jack whisper-shouted, then grinned. "Don't be afraid to ahh… rustle it up a bit in there." Everyone smiled wickedly and went to their positions.

An hour later, Blink called, "'Ey! Jack! Is Spot comin'?" a few voices yelled in agreement.

"Shut your face, Blink!" Race called. "Someone could here ya!"

Jack was too angry for words. He was swearing for the past hour and cursing Spot to H-E-double hockey sticks.

"Hey, Jack, look!" David pointed to a tall blonde boy with five boys following him, who were about twice the size of him.

"Spot, ya dirty bastard!" Jack said, and went to spit-shake with him.

"Sorry, Jacky-boy. I had some things I needed to take care of, foist." Spot said, shrugging. His boys chuckled.

"No time for stories, Spot." Jack was impatient. "You'se remember what you'se gotta do?"

"Clear as day, Jacky-boy." Spot smirked.

"Good, now go do it!" Jack pushed Spot a little, and went back to his hiding place, running his hands through his hair.

"C'mon, boys," Spot laughed. "Jacky's gettin' a little noivous."

Spot knocked on the Delancey's door with the head of his cane. "Helloo?" he called.

There was some laughter, the rush of feet and the door opened to Oscar Delancey himself, who smelled strongly of cigars. "What? I'm busy!" he snarled to the unknown boy in the doorway.

"Well, you'se see, Oscar, you'se got something that doesn't belong to you." Oscar could only look confused for a second before Spot punched him straight in the face. Oscar fell back against the wall; Spot could pack a lot in a punch.

Morris ran in, with other poker buddies, looking to see what the commotion was. "Now, Jack!" Spot shouted over his shoulder, promptly got out his cane and shouted, "Brooklyn!" as he ran into the sea of scabs.

"C'mon, boys," Jack said, and the Newsies charged.

Inside, it was mayhem. There was misplace furniture all over the floor and pictures on the walls were cracked and crooked. Blink and Boots were fighting a guy twice their size and Mush lay on the floor, a huge welt on his forehead.

Jack didn't have anytime to check on his Newsies. Him, Race and David ran throughout the halls, shouting Jinx's name. Race took a wrong turn and ended up in a bloody brawl with a scab with a scar across his face. David got lost in all the fighting, which left Jack to look for Jinx.

He ran downstairs, and heard someone sobbing. "Sarah!" he cried. "Sarah!"


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's note: ok, I do not own Newsies. That's out of the way. Hehe. so here is the next chapter! Thank you to all my readers and reviewers! **_

Jinx's POV

"Jack!" I called. "Jack! I'm in here!" I heard his footsteps come closer to the door.

"Sarah? You'se in there?" he called. "Davey," he said. "Help me." I guessed he found him in the madness. Then Davey's sister came rushing into my mind and I remembered why I was in this mess in the first place.

"It's Jinx, Jack!" I snapped, scowling. "Jinx! Now you and Davey help me get out of here!" I knocked the door angrily.

"Ok, Jinx." Jack sounded hurt, but I could worry about his bruised ego a little later. Definitely not when I was stuck in the Delancey's house. He muttered something to David. "Ok, stand back. We'se gonna knock down the door."

'Bad idea,' I thought, looking at the big oak door, and stepped back anyway. But clearly I was mistaken, because the door burst open a few seconds later. Jack looked tired and David had few bruises forming on his face.

"Jinx!" Jack exclaimed, relieved, and hugged me. He pulled back and we looked at each other. I stared into his brown eyes. He looked at me with the weirdest expression on his face. I pushed some stray hairs off of his face.

Suddenly, he leaned forward. He kissed me, briefly. His lips were soft and careful. But he pulled back too soon. I just stared at him, and full realization hit me. 'I love Jack.' He was cute, funny, and by far one of the best guys I ever met. I saw him stare back at me and I flushed a little. I saw Davey standing awkwardly in the doorway. He looked confused, and so was I. Jack liked Sarah. He loved _her_! What was I doing kissing him? Even though it felt like I ran away from a piece of myself, that's what I did. I pulled away from his grasp, pushed aside David and tore through the house and the fighting, to the front door. On the way out of the room, it was hard to miss the hurt and disappointment written on Jack's face.

Right when I was almost out, a hand grabbed my wounded arm, and I winced. The owner of said arm was Oscar's brother, Morris. He sneered at me and I swung my fist back and punched him with all the anger and sadness that was welled up inside of me. My knuckles stung, but I pulled my arm away from him and ran out of the house.

Alone.

I didn't want to go back to the Lodge, but I had nowhere else to go. I wondered through the streets, keeping my back towards that awful house. I didn't know where I was going until I ended up at the spot Jack and I usually sold papers together.

I stood there, remembering my first day here. How Jack taught me how to sell papers and my _amazing _skill. We always joked together and there was never anything romantic about it, but I guess this happens to everyone. A little bird landed in front of me on the cobblestones. It was black and a tiny thing. It was trying to fly, but I guess it didn't make it. I slowly approached the little bird.

"Hey," I whispered. I slid my hand under its belly and it chirped happily. I climbed up the tree it fell from and spotted its nest. Its brothers and sisters were squawking away until I settled the bird happily in its nest. I laughed a little and jumped down. I headed toward the Lodge, and thought about the dream I was having. It was when all the family I ever knew died, just like that. They left me with nothing but a few coins and some memories. We were rich once, from all my prize money, but I had to sell my horses to keep me going.

Soon, the authorities found out that a 15-year-old girl was living by herself in an empty horse stable and that just didn't seem decent to them for some reason. So I got taken into custody and was held for about a week. They weren't planning on letting me go and were going to "use me for work", which I found out from the veterans who apparently weren't good anywhere they were put. There was no way I was going to work in a sweatshop or in the brothel, so I ran. I got on a train and hitched a ride to New York. And when I arrived, I thought I had finally found a home, and I was safe.

But it looks like I was going to run again. I don't know where I was headed. I didn't have a lot of money and there were no horsed to sell this time. I got angry. Not at Jack, but at myself. All I did was run! I ran from home, from the prison, and now I was going to run from Jack and the Newsies, my second family. Who took me in and cared for me. 'That's not going to happen.' I promised myself. 'The young ones still need you and you are not going to abandon what you have going here.' I decided to stay, and see how things worked out.

I arrived at the Lodge and walked in. The front counter was deserted, as was the rest of the house. I staggered up the stairs, and looked into the boy's room. They little ones, Tumbler, Clicker, and Sky were all awake, sitting by the window. "Go to sleep," I told them and walked in. They started. I embraced them all.

"We'se thought you'se was gonna die!" Sky, the youngest, said. Clicker elbowed him in the side.

"No, we didn't." he insisted.

"Will you tell us a story?" Tumbler asked. He looked at me huge puppy-dog eyes. I shook my head. I was too sad and tired for a good story.

"Just go to sleep," I told them. They agreed and grudgingly made it to their beds. Satisfied, I walked into my closet of a room, slid off the yellow dress, and collapsed in my bed.


	9. After Math

_**Sorry I took so long for this update! Hopefully I'll be able to update more this week. Please R&R, and thanks to all my reviewers!**_

Newsies' POV

Back at the Delancey's house, there was stuffing all over the floor, books were ripped open, and pictures hung and were cracked. Most of Oscar's poker buddies were scrawled on the floor, nursing various wounds. The Newsies were getting ready to leave, though some of them were on the floor, too. Most of them were ransacking the fridge.

Jack and David were looking things over, checking out rooms just to see what else Oscar had hidden in his house. All they found were a couple of broken bottles and dust. But Jack did find one picture of Oscar and Morris, with a little girl about seven. She had very dark hair and bright greens eyes. Jack pocketed the picture, deciding to figure it out later.

He saw Race walk by, looking worried. "Did she make it, Jack?" He asked.

"Yeah, Race," Jack said absentmindedly. "She got out."

"Good," Race sighed, looking hugely relived. "That goil ain't eva' leavin' my sight again." He went off to go talk with the boys by the fridge.

Jack looked at David. "You should go home, Davey." David tried to protest, but Jack convinced him his family would be worried, and David agreed, without another protest. Jack sagged against the wall, hands running through his hair.

'Why did I kiss 'er?" he wondered. 'We'se never had nothin' romantic goin' on. Plus you don't like her, you like Sarah Jacobs!' but Jack couldn't even deny it to himself, he had fallen for Jinx. From the day he saw her, he knew she was someone special. But he really loved Sarah. 'I don't even know that, anymore.' He thought. 'She doesn't even want to stay in New York.' And it was true, she seemed to be extremely ecstatic about going to Boston.

"'Ey, Jack," Boots called, bringing Jack back to reality. "We'se gonna get goin' home." Jack walked with all the other tired Newsies out the door. He caught up with Race and Spot.

"Hey, Cowboy." Spot said. "Some night, huh?" he said.

"Yeah, some night." Jack replied, eyeing the purple bruise on Spot's jaw.

"But we got Jinx back!" Race said, smiling.

"Yeah, we'se did." Jack, smiling a little. "So's, Spot," he turned to the Brooklyn Newsie. "You'se gonna stay at da Lodge?"

"Naw," he answered. "I'se gotta get home to me Newsies. If I don't show up, they'll come lookin'." Jack and him spit shook one more time, and Spot turned and headed back in the direction of the Brooklyn Bridge, his buddies trailing behind.

Jack and Race walked along in silence. The night was filled with the sound of crickets singed and the wind whispering to the leaves. Race took out a cigarette and lit it up with a match. He sucked in and exhaled a cloud of smoke that was caught by the breeze and disappeared.

"So, uh," Jack said. "are you into Jinx?" he asked bluntly. Race looked surprised, and choked on a lungful of smoke.

"No," he coughed. "She's just a good friend, nothin' romantic." Then he stared at Jack. "But you do." He stated.

Jack just kept on walking. "I know, but she doesn't like me. And Sarah's still in the picture." Race shook his head.

"Jack, Sarah's going to Boston, and there ain't nothin' anyone can do 'bout it. She's already moved on, so's you'se got to, too." It hurt Jack to hear the truth. He thought Sarah wouldn't just dump him, but apparently she already did.

"I dunno, Race." He sighed. "Goils, they do this thing where dey make ya feel something real special, and it won't just go away." Race nodded.

'I don't know a whole lot about the goil world, Jacky-boy, but I do know this: You'se can only have one."

Jack laughed a little. "Believe me Race. I know that, too."

_**Sorry this is so short! Hopefully more will be on the way! Tell me what you think. Oh, and I don't own Newsies. Review! **_


	10. At Home

_**Alright, I don't know if this will be the end, or if I will do a few more chapters, but if it is the end, I will try to make a sequel. **_

Jinx's POV

I woke up to a dim light and saw Jack sitting on the edge of my bed, watching me sleep. I blushed, because I was just in a tank top and underwear. I pulled the sheet over my body. "Hey," I said. My shoulder throbbed and so did my head. I wasn't in a very good mood, since I had just been kidnapped. I couldn't help but think about our kiss. 'What if he thought it was a mistake?' he probably did, since I ran out of there like a startled rabbit. 'I'm an idiot,'

"Hey Jinx," He said softly. He looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept for days. But his eyes had that playful look they always had, and he smiled at me. "How ya feelin'?"

He was looking at my shoulder. I turned to see it. The blood had seeped through the clothe I put on it and I couldn't move it without crying out. "Never better," I joked. But it kind of fell flat, because neither of us laughed.

"I'll let you get dressed," he said and walked out. A few minutes later I had a long shirt on and he came back in with a bucket of water and a rag. He sat on my bed and leaned closer. "Here, let's see." He said, and took my arm. I winced. "Sorry," he said. He carefully unbound my arm. It was oozing blood and the skin around it was red and puffy. I really couldn't move my arm. Jack dipped the rag in the water. He dabbed the rag onto my skin, cleaning up the dried blood.

He kept dipping and dabbing until he was satisfied that my shoulder was clean enough. It did look better, and he suggested we go into the washroom to look for some gauze. He helped me get up and when we got there I slouched against the wall. Jack was looking in the cabinets while I watched him. Fortunately, he found a handful of gauze in the back of a cabinet. My shoulder looked less disgusting while it was wrapped up all nice like a present.

"So, I'll, um, go see if I can find something else to help your shoulda'." Jack said and turned around. I caught his hand with my good arm.

"Wait," Jack looked at me, confused. I took a deep breath. My heart was going crazy. 'What's wrong with me?' I demanded. 'This is just Jack.' "Jack," I said, "Why did you kiss me?" I looked him straight in the eyes.

He stood there like a statue. He was acting like I just said I was Pulitzer's long lost daughter and I was gaining all his inheritance. For once, Jack Kelly was at a loss of words. Then he said, "Did I ever tell you about Santa Fe?" I shook my head, not sure where he was going with this. "Well, that was the plan," he continued. "I was gonna go right after the strike, but then I met the Jacobs." Jealousy ran through me. "I couldn't leave them, 'cuz they were like my family. Then I learned that Sarah was moving to Boston, and I was crushed. I was all ready to leave, the day I met you'se. But then I _did_ meet you. And I knew I couldn't leave." He stared at me with those intense eyes.

"Jack," I couldn't lie to him. "I like you, too. I might even _really_ like you. My family's gone, too, but I'm not running." I looked at Jack. He was smiling, and I didn't know why. He could really annoy me sometimes. "What?" I asked.

"I like you, too, Jinx." He stepped closer and kissed me again. It was amazing, and much better than our first kiss. All my pain and fear went away, and my thoughts were only of Jack. His eyes, the way he talks, the way he laughs.

"Woo-Wee! Sorry, boys, looks like there's a party goin' on in here!" Races shouted and the bathroom was filled with boys' laughter. I blushed furiously, but Jack laughed with them. First I was mad, but I ended up laughing too. We were all happy I was safe- especially me, that we were laughing hysterically.

Then Jack spoke up, "Ok, everyone," he gasped. "Time for bed!" I thought he meant with me, and my heart pounded wildly again. But luckily, got up with all the other boys and went to their room. But not before he could kiss me again.

I sat there for a long while, and when I got up, I felt dizzy and light headed. I got into bed, and found that I couldn't stop smiling. While I was drifting off to sleep, the bad things that happened today drifted away. But I held on to the good things. I wanted to remember those for a long time.

_**The end! Maybe. HeHe :)Review and Tell me what you think about it & tell me if you want me to do a few more chapters or just leave it off! Thanks so much!**_


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